Wheel assembly



J. E. BLANK WHEEL ASSEMBLY April 5, 1938.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9, 1933 M r .am ma MN m u A 1'1'ornel J. E. BLANK WHEEL ASSEMBLY April 5, 1938.

Filed May 9, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet I yen for Job n E. Blank byW Afforney PatentedApr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,113,541 WHEEL [ASSEMBL John E. Blank, Jackson, Mich., assignor to Rye:- son & Haynes, Inc., Jackson, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application May 9, 1933, Serial No. 670,133

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheel assembly.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a finishing surface for vehicle wheel structures 3 which is inexpensive and readily attachable and imparts to the wheel assembly an attractive disc wheel appearance, the invention being equally adaptable as an accessory or as an element employed to complete the wheel assembly at the m factory.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in the novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully related. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein several preferred embodiments of my invention are disclosed by way of illustration,

Fig. 1 is a partial cross sectional view of a wheel assembly embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the improved disc member shown removed from the wheel.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 with a partial cross sectional view of the wheel shown to show the relationship between the location of the valve stem and the opening in the disc.

Fig. 4 is-a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the disc adapted to a difierent type of wheel.

disc covers the entire area within the felly.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental cross sectional view of a modified type of disc attachment.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental elevation of a portion of the folly and rim with a recessed attachment lug shown in position.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of a further modified type of disc attachment.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental cross sectional view taken 40 on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Generally, the present invention consists of a sheet metal disc of at least sufiicient extent to cover or shield the area located between the felly and hub of the wheel. Securing members, pref- 45 erably in the form of spring detents, are attached adjacent the outer edge of the disc, and in the embodiments illustrated, are adapted to engage the felly or the rim portion of the wheel to releasably retain the disc in position. When used in combination with a demountable wheel of the type in which the wheel is secured to the axle by bolts passed through the inner hub flange carrying nuts made accessible through a removable hub cap, the disc is preferably annular with the inner edge bearing against the outer end of the Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 in which they hub and confined by the removable hub cap. In order to render the valve stem of a pneumatic tired wheel accessible from the outside of the wheel with the disc in place, a closable opening is preferably provided in the disc. In one of the embodiments shown, the disc covers the entire area within the telly of the wheel, the usual hub cap being simulated. With such structure the entire disc is removed to give access to the bolts securing the wheel to the axle.

With specific reference to the drawings, a wheel assembly is shown in Fig. 1 with a hub I and a rim 2 concentrically supported from the hub by the usual wire spokes 3. Obviously, wooden disc or sheet metal stamped wheels are equally adaptable to my invention; my improved shielding disc having particular application where the structure between the rim and the hub is of an unfinished or unattractive character and is thus capable of effecting certain economies in the finishing of the appearance of the wheel assembly.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, my improved disc 4 is sheet metal and annular in form with spring clips 5 riveted or otherwise secured to the turned outer edge 6 at deflected points 6. These clips are stressed inwardly by the telly I of the wheel I when the disc 4 is shoved to a seat and engage the felly to releasably retain the disc in position. It will thus appear that the disc may be attached and removed entirely from one side of the wheel.

The inner edge 8 of the disc preferably bears 0 against the outer end of the hub l and is confined by a removable hub cap 9. It is to be understood that it is optional whether the hub cap 9 is employed to assist in centering the disc or the disc is entirely centered by the .clips 5; in some cases the inner edge 8 may merely encircle the hub i and not be located and/or confined by the hub cap 9. Furthermore, in view of the ready removability of the disc 4 from the outside of the wheel, I anticipate the shielding of the entire area located within the felly of the wheel by a disc in which the hub cap is integral therewith and merely shields the end of the hub, as will be more fully described.

To permit access to the usual valve stem 9' of a pneumatic tired wheel, a closable opening is provided at ill. As shown, the disc is drawn at II to provide a seat and a cover i2 removably secured therein by a spring catch I! which may be rotated by a screw driver into engagement with the back face of the seat I I; as shown conforming. deflected portions at H are provided in the seat II and spring I3 to releasably lock the cover I! in position. Obviously, other types of covers and securing means may be employed within the scope of my invention.

In practice the face of the disc 4 may be plated, enameled or otherwise finished to enhance the appearance of the wheel assembly.

Preferably the spring clip 5 engages the felly of the wheel, but in some cases it may be desirable to engage other parts of the wheel, especially when the f orm'of the supporting structure between the hub and the felly is altered.

In Fig. 4 the invention is shown adapted to a wheel of the type in which a spider Ii stamped from sheet metal is employed to simulate the spokes and also constitutes a hub portion It with an inner hub flange H. The spider II is welded, riveted or otherwise secured to the felly I8. An adaptor I9 in the form of a sleeve having a flanged outer edge is fixedly secured at its inner end to the hub portion IS in any suitable manner. The disc 4 carrying the clips 5 may engage the felly IS with the inneredge 8 of the discbeing confined by the hub cap 8 exactly in the manner described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. When the disc 4 is employed at the factory to finish the wheel assembly, the spider |5 may be retained in a rough unfinished state as it is completely shielded'by the disc.

In the 'modification shown in Fig. 5, the disc 2| shields or covers the entire area within the felly, the hub cap being simulated by a central portion as at 22. The outer edge of the disc 2| is turned at 23 and rolled to provide -a bead 24. This bead may extend along the entire edge and is adapted to be snapped into spring clips 25 riveted or otherwise secured to the felly or dropped center portion 26 of the rim 21 at spaced points to be releasably held in position. As the disc 2| may be readily positioned and removed entirely from the outside of the wheel, the usual hub cap is obviated with substantial reduction in the cost of production and at the same time the attractiveness of the wheel assembly is enhanced. The disc 2|, secured in the manner shown, is specially adapted to wheel structures in which the felly is supported by a solid disc stamping 28 integral with the hub portion 29 and inner hub flange 30. It is to be understood, however, that it may be employed with equal advantage with other types of wheel structure. For example, the wire wheel shown in Fig. 1 may be provided with clips corresponding to the clips 25. In this case the disc would project over and house the outer end of the hub In Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, two modified means of releasably attaching the discs 4 or 2| to the rim portion of the wheel are shown. As shown in Fig. 6, a spring clip 3| is attached to the turned edge of the disc and is provided with an end portion which is adapted to ride over the lug 33,

welded or otherwise secured to the rim portion 34,'

and snaps into the recess 35 in the lug. The recess prevents relative movement between the disc and the lug. In Fig. 7 the lug 33 is shown with the disc removed. In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the spring clip 36 is riveted to the rim portion 31 and retains the disc in position by snapping into an aperture 38 located in a deflected portion 39 of the turned edge of the disc. The clips 36 are located along the rim portion 34 at spaced intervals. I

I Having only described the preferred forms of my invention, it is to be understood that I contemplate other modifications and changes as will occur to those skilled in the art. For this reason, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details herein set forth but intend to include as part of my invention such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wheel accessory, comprising a removable covering disc for one side of the wheel, alaterally extending flange on the outer edge of said disc, a plurality of annularly spaced bosses on said fiange, and means secured to said bosses shaped to support said disc from the wheel felly and to maintain said disc infixed spaced relation to said felly.

2. A wheel accessory for a wheel including a felly and a tire supporting rim, comprising a face plate therefor, a laterally extending outer edge on said face plate, and spaced spring members secured to said laterally extending outer edge resiliently engaging the wheel felly to support said plate from said felly and to maintain said plate in fixed spaced relation to said felly and in substantial radial alignment with the outer edge of the wheel rim.

3. A wheel accessory for a wheel having a drop center portion comprising a felly and a tire supporting rlm, comprising a face plate therefor, said face plate having 9. turned axially extending edge on the periphery thereof closely engaging an axially extending portion of the rim, and means secured to said edge to support said plate from said felly and to maintain said plate in fixed spaced relation to said felly and in substantial radial alignment with the outer edge of the wheel rim.

4. A wheel accessory for a wheel including a felly and a tire supporting rim, comprising a face plate having a turned axially extending edge on the periphery thereof, a plurality of annularly spaced bosses on said edge, and means secured to said bosses to support said plate from said felly and to maintain said plate in fixed spaced relationto said felly.

JOHN E. BLANK. 

